7 Brands on TikTok to Inspire Your Social Media Strategy

With one billion active users, TikTok proves to be a leading social media platform for every marketer. If your brand is looking for some inspiration on how to tap into the hearts and minds of the TikTok audience, we’ve got you covered. 

Below are 7 examples and ideas from brands that created great awareness on TikTok, aligned to their goals and brand identity. We’ll be diving into the details of each one.

• Entertainment and behind the scenes - Cirque du Soleil
• User-generated content - GoPro
• Creative storytelling - The Washington Post
• Employee takeovers - Duolingo
• Brand transparency - Ryanair
• Agency experience - Kubbco
• Crosschannel marketing - Food52

Let’s dive into some TikTok inspiration!

Idea 1: Entertainment and behind the scenes — Cirque du Soleil

TikTok is the ultimate platform for entertainment. From dancing to hashtag competitions, you can let your brand be creative to generate engagement for your followers.

Start by knowing your buyer personas’ interests and behaviours and find an innovative way to match them with your marketing goals and the features TikTok offers.

Below, you can find some inspiring examples from Cirque du Soleil, who translate their art into stunning TikTok videos. 

Cirque du Soleil are on a mission to entertain their audience and show the real people behind the scenes in a fun and engaging way.

They hosted live videos and benefited from visibility from a Discovery Banner that has increased their following and increased video views across the board.

Idea 2: User-generated content — GoPro

Letting your community speak on behalf of your brand is powerful on any social media platform. User-generated videos on TikTok are among the most genuine and engaging types of content. 

For example, GoPro follows its cross-channel strategy to share great stories from fans on TikTok, and their followers love it.

Idea 3: Creative storytelling — The Washington Post

The Washington Post took the news to a new level by covering stories in short videos on TikTok. Their creative storytelling can inspire every brand to find their tone of voice and way of unique expression on this social network.

Be aware of your audience on TikTok and the message you want to convey, and get your creative juices flowing to tell your brand’s story.

Idea 4: Employee takeovers — Duolingo

Letting go of control of your brand on a platform like TikTok can be challenging, but employee takeovers can be powerful. Duolingo took this bold move, and positioned itself as an original and authentic brand.

Initially, Duolingo started experimenting with different content types until they found what their audience was craving to engage with. The Duolingo team went on to create fresh and authentic TikTok videos, and now they manage to courageously hop on trending audio and relate it to their product.

Idea 5: Brand transparency — Ryanair

Ryanair shows a bold approach in their social media strategy by incorporating complaints into their TikTok content. This encouraged brand transparency, which Gen Z and Millennials appreciate.

Here is how Ryanair revealed the good and bad sides of their customer service on TikTok by sharing comments from their customers in a fun way:

Ryanair also shows a special brand character in fun videos and duets about their competition:

Idea 6: Agency — Kubbco

If you’re an agency that represents brands on social media daily, here are some ideas to build your presence on TikTok.

Kubbco take their followers behind the scenes in their very own creative kitchen, where all the content has been cooked. They demonstrate life at the agency, and their vibrant team, in a fun and entertaining way.

Idea 7: Cross-channel marketing — Food52

Repurposing content is a strategy that social media managers love – and Food52 plays the game well. Additionally, they spin the content they produce for TikTok for other channels, like Instagram Reels.

On TikTok, they show a quick preview of recipes to grab the attention of their followers, followed by a clear CTA to their website via a bio link to convert them into leads.

Let’s wrap it up!

Are you ready to create some magic with your content on TikTok? Make sure you stay authentic, brand-driven and open-minded for your community’s feedback.

See you on TikTok!